John Day donated 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land to the school, located in Belle Plain.
During its first year of existence, 1881–82, it operated in conjunction with the Belle Plain public school system.
Franklin Wesley Chatfield served as Belle Plain College (BPC) president during most of its inaugural year.
Though the campus comprised two buildings by 1885 the entire school had been mortgaged to pay for classroom furnishings and instruments.
At the college's height over 300 people were enrolled and in 1885 a three-story stone structure was built at the site.